After only one year in the EMX125 series, Quentin Prugnieres decided to make the jump up and race the EMX250 championship in 2021. The young French rider showed us glimpses of what he could do this year but didn’t have consistency which is perhaps to be expected considering it was his rookie year in the class.
Watching Prugnieres ride is a lot of fun as he’s clearly got a lot of technique and he’ll be looking for stronger results in the EMX250 series in 2022.
We caught up with Prugnieres at Paris SX to discuss his short career so far and more.
GateDrop: To go back to the end of last year, you only had one year in the EMX125 series but you made the decision to move up to the EMX250 class, what was the reason behind that choice?
Prugnieres: It was just to try and grow up faster on the 250cc to learn more for the years coming for MX2. We will have to see what will happen but it was just to learn as much as I can on the 250cc with the big guys. I am young and really need to improve many things as this is only my second year in EMX. I think I did many positive things this year but many things stopped me from doing even better. I try to keep the positives but I’m not really happy about my first EMX250 season. I am looking forward to next year and I am sure it’ll be better.
GateDrop: Considering you were only on an 85cc two years ago, to usually finish between 10-15 in the EMX250 class when you didn’t have problems, that’s not bad for a rookie season?
Prugnieres: Yeah, it’s good, it is a big step. I am looking positive at it because I am young and have the time to learn on the big bike with big guys.
GateDrop: Looking at you on the bike, you are very technical and great to watch with a lovely style. Is that something you’ve worked on from a young age?
Prugnieres: Yeah, the technique has just kind of happened by itself. When I look at the big guys, I try to do the same things. Now with my coach and many other guys teach me new things but since I’ve been on a 65cc or 85cc, many people have told me that my technique is good. I keep trying to improve and go step by step.
GateDrop: You are strong in hard pack, sand is probably the area you need to improve, do you have any plans to go to Lommel over winter?
Prugnieres: I think so, we will go to Belgium in the winter. I think I am riding okay in the sand because I had my best result this year in Lommel, I finished tenth or something like that. The sand is okay, I think I just need to improve my speed everywhere – in the corners and my confidence on the bike. We need to be stronger everywhere physically, I will take a holiday for the off season and then I will be working hard for next year and give my best.
GateDrop: What are your goals for the EMX250 series next year?
Prugnieres: Yes, I will do the EMX250 series again as well as the French Championship. I will try to give everything I have this winter to be better in EMX. I am really looking forward to it and I really want to give my best.
GateDrop: There’s so many young French guys at the moment with Renaux winning the MX2 title, Tom Vialle and Mathys Boisrame never mind the guys in MXGP. You must be motivated to follow in their footsteps?
Prugnieres: I really look at those guys and what they do on the track. It’s really good to have these kind of examples, this French generation are really good now and the young French riders have good examples to look up too. Maxime (Renaux) is a really hard worker, we are looking at him to try and do the same but I also want to do my career and do it my way as well. I don’t want to just do the same as others, I want to do career and see how it goes.
GateDrop: A lot of young French talents dream of going to America, is that your dream or do you want to make a name for yourself in the GP paddock?
Prugnieres: I don’t really know. I think I want to go to USA but I don’t have much experience in Supercross. I only trained four times at Supercross for this event and today was my first Supercross race in Paris. I want to go to USA but I really need to train a lot in Supercross and improve my progression with that.
Interview: Andy McKinstry
Main pic: Thibault Photography
